CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio Gov. John Kasich has completed his first round of re-election fundraising with a massive lead over Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald.

Kasich raised nearly $2.6 million through the first six months of the year and has more than $4.4 million on hand, according to a campaign-finance report filed Wednesday.

FitzGerald, the Cuyahoga County executive, reported raising about $600,000, with a sizable chunk coming at the last minute from the Ohio Democratic Party. His total includes money collected in July, after the reporting period closed, and reported voluntarily.

A former Lakewood mayor seeking statewide office for the first time, FitzGerald carried over $181,000 from his now-defunct county campaign fund. He has $544,000 on hand.

“We continue to be pleased with the amount of support for the governor,” said Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols.

Said Nick Buis, campaign manager for FitzGerald: “People in every corner of the Ohio are excited about Ed, and this report shows the real grassroots momentum that our campaign has right now. This is only just the beginning.”

FitzGerald and his supporters worked hard to set expectations for his report. In the days leading up to the deadline they cited as a benchmark the $516,000 that Kasich raised in the first half of 2009, when the Republican was challenging then-Gov. Ted Strickland.

But that’s not an apples to apples comparison. Kasich raised that amount in six months, not seven. Had he voluntarily disclosed his contributions from July 2009, he would have reported raising more than $700,000. FitzGerald also would not have cleared the $516,000 hurdle had it not been for a $119,500 deposit made Wednesday by the state party.

Meanwhile, Kasich’s $2.6 million haul through June of this year tops the $2.5 million the incumbent Strickland had reported raising through July 2009. At this point in the 2006 cycle, when there was no incumbent, Strickland had raised $1 million.

Democrats “should be especially concerned that the candidate leading their ticket, despite a huge cash infusion from his own political party, has less money on hand than nearly every Republican statewide candidate,” said Ohio GOP spokesman Chris Schrimpf.

Republicans prefer to use Strickland’s 2005 and 2009 totals as benchmarks. They also note that FitzGerald began raising money nearly two months ahead of Kasich’s 2009 schedule.

Democrats argue that if a half-million-dollar period is good enough for Kasich, a former congressman who once ran for president, it’s more than good enough for a candidate who’s only held local office. And until recently, some Democratic activists were hoping former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray might run for governor, an unfulfilled hope that might have cost FitzGerald some bucks in the early stages of his fundraising.

FitzGerald had only two contributions near the limit, from Richard and Doreen Cahoon of Cleveland Heights. Richard Cahoon is a retired partner from Cleveland’s Dealer Tire Co. FitzGerald also received multiple donations from labor organizations.

Buis said 95 percent of the contributions came from Ohioans.

Republicans hold all of the state’s elected administrative offices. And in all but one of the five contests, the incumbents hold a significant cash advantage over Democrats.

Secretary of State Jon Husted raised about $593,600 through June. After subtracting for expenditures, he reported having more than $1.6 million remaining. His Democratic opponent, State Sen. Nina Turner of Cleveland, raised almost $204,000. She has about $128,750 on hand.

In the attorney general’s race, incumbent Mike DeWine has raised more than $567,000 this year, bringing his campaign cash-on-hand total to more than $1.1 million. Democratic rival David Pepper, a former Hamilton County commissioner who ran unsuccessfully for state auditor in 2010, raised about $201,000 and had about $199,000 remaining.

State Treasurer Josh Mandel, who lost a U.S. Senate bid last year, has raised more than $1.1 million and has about $1 million on hand. His Democratic challenger, State Rep. Connie Pillich of the Cincinnati area, raised about $312,000 and has $292,000 remaining.

State Rep. John Patrick Carney, a Columbus-area Democrat considering a run for state auditor next year, outraised GOP incumbent Dave Yost. Carney raised more than $300,000 since the first of the year and has $448,000 in his House campaign fund.

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